Scottish Parliament

Written Answers

Tuesday 29 June 1999

Scottish Executive

Civil Service

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to decentralise Civil Service jobs.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive is committed to ensuring that local and central government in Scotland are efficient and decentralised, as part of a wider vision of more accessible, open and responsive government. It will be important to make sure that these plans are based on sound evidence, are practically achievable, and take proper account of all of the relevant factors. In the meantime, plans were announced earlier this year to move 60 – 70 posts from Edinburgh to Glasgow. These moves are planned to take place later this year.

Education

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to inform the Parliament how many members of the Parliament benefited from a student maintenance grant.

Henry McLeish: No. This information is not held centrally.

Education

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish details after 1 July of the proportion of students who were not exempt from a parental contribution who were assessed as requiring a parental contribution in each of the academic sessions (a) 1998-99, (b) 1997-98 and (c) 1996-97.

Henry McLeish: Information on the incidence of assessed parental and spouse contributions to student awards in academic year 1996/97 has already been published, albeit not in the precise form requested. It is contained in "Student Awards 1996-97", published by The Scottish Office in October 1997 under the reference Edn/L1/1997/8.

  Similar information for academic years 1997-98 and 1998-99 will be published in due course.

Employment

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make an estimate of the impact on employment in Scotland resulting from the implementation of the European Employment Pact.

Henry McLeish: The European Employment Pact aims to strengthen existing strategies for economic reform and employment. It does not introduce specific employment measures, and we therefore have no plans to assess its impact on employment in Scotland.

Equal Opportunities

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to implement any measures within its areas of responsibility to address the inequality in pay between men and women in Scotland.

Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Executive will be seeking to promote equal opportunities across its responsibilities. Through its education, training and childcare policies it will enable women to take a more active part in the labour market and maximise their earnings.

Europe

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to be represented at the special meeting of the European Council on Employment, Economic Reform and Social Cohesion to be held in the spring of 2000.

Mr Jack McConnell: Meetings of the European Council are normally only attended by the Heads of State and Government.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make available details of any agreement reached during its recent meeting with the Scottish Salmon Growers Association and the Shetland Salmon Farmers Association to discuss the Infectious Salmon Anaemia crisis currently affecting the salmon farming industry.

Mr John Home Robertson: Details of the discussions held with the two Associations on 11 June were given in the reply to Mrs Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) on 17 June. (S1W.138)

Food

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will have power from 1 July to require food products such as possibly dioxin-contaminated Belgian pig meat to be clearly labelled with their country of origin.

Susan Deacon: Scottish Ministers will have the powers from 1 July to legislate in this area, within the parameters set in EU legislation.

  The labelling of food is largely harmonised at EC level and is controlled in Great Britain by the Food Labelling Regulations 1996. These Regulations do not include compulsory labelling of "country of origin" but they do require the particulars of the place of origin or provenance of the food to be given where failure to give such particulars might mislead the purchaser to a material degree as to the true origin or provenance of the food.

Legislative Programme

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish the draft bill regarding incapable adults announced as part of the legislative programme for 1999-2000.

Mr Jim Wallace: We intend to introduce the incapable adults bill this autumn. We shall also publish during the summer a policy statement setting out our proposals for this legislation.

Rural Affairs

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to implement an enhanced payment scheme under the Organic Aid Scheme and what is the timescale for such changes.

Ross Finnie: Subject to receiving the approval of the European Commission and of this Chamber, my hope is that increased payments should be available by October.

Rural Affairs

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to progress towards moving the payment of Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances on to an area basis.

Ross Finnie: A further consultation document on any future support for farming in Scotland’s Less-Favoured Areas will be issued once full details of the EU implementing and transitional regulations are known.

Scottish Administration

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish the mission statement and the strategic and operational objectives for departments of the Scottish Administration.

Mr Jack McConnell: Departmental aims and objectives, along with expenditure plans, were published in ‘Serving Scotland’s Needs’ (Cm 4215) in March 1999. Revised objectives for the Scottish Executive will be published as soon as possible.

Social Inclusion

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive for a breakdown of its plans for the individual funding allocation over the next 3 years for (a) the new Social Inclusion Partnerships in Drumchapel, Greater Pollok and Glasgow, and (b) the 21 Social Inclusion Partnerships formed from the previous Programme for Partnership Areas and Regeneration Programmes.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The information requested is given in the table.

  

 
 
 

£ thousands
  


Name 
of Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP)

Financial Year Allocations 
  (Social Inclusion Partnership Fund)
  
 
 


 

1999-2000
  

2000-01
  

2001-02
  


Previously 
Priority Partnership Areas (PPAs)

Firm 


Indicative 


Indicative 



Great 
Northern (Aberdeen)

809
  

760
  

760
  


North 
Edinburgh

2,877
  

2,523
  

2,300
  


Dundee 
1

2,512
  

2,055
  

2,000
  


Glasgow 
East End

2,800
  

2,800
  

2,800
  


Glasgow 
North

3,300
  

2,900
  

2,900
  


Greater 
Easterhouse

3,400
  

3,400
  

3,400
  


Inverclyde 
Regeneration Partnership

2,998
  

2,354
  

2,300
  


Motherwell 
North

1,530
  

1,530
  

1,530
  


Paisley

2,981
  

2,689
  

2,308
  


North 
Ayr

1,508
  

1,500
  

1,500
  


West 
Dunbartonshire Partnership

2,193
  

2,014
  

2,000
  


 
 
 
 


Previously 
Regeneration Programmes (RPs)

Firm


Indicative


Indicative



Arbroath

140
  

Nil
  

Nil
  


The 
Strategic Programme (Edinburgh)

1,178
  

523
  

333
  


Dundee 
2

792
  

427
  

267
  


Levern 
Valley Partnership

433
  

423
  

267
  


Falkirk 
Community Urban

550
  

550
  

367
  


Fife

751
  

600
  

400
  


North 
Ayrshire

776
  

700
  

467
  


North 
Lanarkshire

850
  

850
  

566
  


Stirling

583
  

500
  

333
  


Cambuslang

600
  

600
  

400
  


 
 
 
 


New 
SIPs in Glasgow

Provisional


Indicative


Indicative



Drumchapel

1,875
  

2,500
  

2,500
  


Glasgow: 
Care-leavers

378
  

504
  

450
  


Glasgow: 
Routes out of Prostitution 

188
  

250
  

250
  


Glasgow: 
Ethnic Minorities

593
  

729
  

729
  


Gorbals

563
  

750
  

750
  


Greater 
Govan

375
  

500
  

500
  


Greater 
Pollok

1,725
  

2,300
  

2,300
  


Milton

200
  

750
  

750
  


Springburn

200
  

750
  

750
  


TOTAL

6097
  

9033
  

8979

Social Inclusion

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to tackle poverty and social inclusion.

Ms Wendy Alexander: We are announcing today the formation of the Poverty and Inclusion Task Force. Its membership is:

  Wendy Alexander MSP, Minister for Communities

  Jackie Baillie MSP, Deputy Minister for Communities

  Sam Galbraith MSP, Minister for Education and Children

  Susan Deacon MSP, Minister for Health and Community Care

  Henry McLeish MSP, Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning

  Jack McConnell MSP, Minister for Finance

  Ross Finnie MSP, Minister for Rural Affairs

  The Task Force’s role will be to drive forward an integrated agenda of action to promote social inclusion. It will work in partnership with the Scottish Social Inclusion Network to meet the Partnership commitment to put a social inclusion strategy to Parliament at the earliest possible opportunity. Its first task will be to develop targets for social inclusion in Scotland.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to make available information relating to (a) the annual capital spending on construction of the new trunk road schemes in Scotland over the last five years, (b) all such schemes costing over £10 million, and (c) the proposed expenditure in connection with schemes over the next four years.

Sarah Boyack: Details of expenditure since 1994-95 and plans to 2001-02 are contained in Serving Scotland’s Needs , a copy of which is in the Parliament’s Information Centre. No plans have yet been drawn up for the fourth year, 2002-03.

  Schemes costing over £10million during the last 5 years are: M77, A96 Blackburn–Kintore, A1 Tranent–Haddington, M8 Extension, A74(M) Ecclefechan-Eaglesfield (Phase 2), A74(M) Maryville–Fullarton Road, A74(M) Eaglesfield-Kirkpatrick Fleming, A74(M) Ecclefechan-Eaglesfield Ph 1, A74(M) Water of Milk- Ecclefechan, A74(M) Muirhouse- Water of Milk, A74(M) Dinwoodie Green-Muirhouse, A74(M) Cleuchbrae Dinwoodie Green.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Childcare Provision

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Presiding Officer what plans the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has to make alternative arrangements for childcare provision, given that there is no crèche facility available in the Parliament’s temporary accommodation.

Sir David Steel: Prior to the election, a questionnaire was issued to all prospective candidates in an attempt to gauge the possible requirement for childcare provision in the Scottish Parliament. Based on the responses received, no arrangements were made.

  The question of allowances for Members has already been debated and agreed, and an allowances scheme is now in place. This does not include provision for assistance with childcare facilities. The SPCB will shortly undertake a further survey of Members, their staff and Parliamentary staff and, based on the results, consider what form of assistance, if any, can be made available.

Holyrood

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer how many seats there will be for visitors in the proposed Holyrood Parliament and how many there are in the Church of Scotland Assembly Hall Chamber.

Sir David Steel: There will be approximately 560 seats for visitors to the Holyrood Parliament building, of which 170 are in the main chamber. There are 456 seats for visitors to the Assembly Hall Debating Chamber.

Holyrood

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what instructions, directions or advice, if any, have been given to Enric Miralles regarding the shape of the debating chamber in the proposed Holyrood Parliament building.

Sir David Steel: The Design Team (principal consultant Enric Miralles) have been working to the Scottish Parliament Building User Brief which states that "a horse shoe or semi- circular arrangement would appear to be the most appropriate". They receive advice from access consultants to help ensure that disabled access requirements are met.

  The SPCB is considering this issue in the light of the recent debate and decision on the Holyrood building, and of the informal seminars with Members, and will report back to Members in due course.

New Parliament Building

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Presiding Officer whether he will make available to members, information and plans related to the option of creating a Parliamentary complex to include a new chamber and other additional accommodation based at St Andrew’s House and the old Royal High School.

Sir David Steel: Material from the design feasibility studies on all the proposed sites for the Scottish Parliament building and a summary of the Comparative Transport and Environmental Assessment were placed in the House of Commons Library on 12 January 1998 by the then Minister of State at the Scottish Office, Henry McLeish. I am arranging for a copy of the same documents to be placed in the Scottish Parliament’s Library.

Parliament Staff

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what is the allocation of rooms on the fifth floor of Parliament Headquarters and specifically what is the name, function and job title of each person occupying each room

Sir David Steel: The fifth floor of Parliamentary Headquarters is shared between staff of the Parliament and the Scottish Executive. Details of staff occupying rooms in the former category are given in the table below. The detailed arrangements for occupation of the rooms in the latter category is a matter for the Scottish Executive.

  


ROOM


NAME


Function/Job 
  Title



5.10a
Lesley 
Beddie
Director 
of Communications


5.14a
Diane Barr
Official 
Report/Publishing Administrator


5.14a
Catherine 
Johnstone
Official 
Report/Office Manager


5.14b
Stephen 
Hutchinson
Official 
Report/Deputy Editor


5.14b
Henrietta 
Hales
Official 
Report/Editor


5.14c
Meeting 
Room
 


5.15
Carol McCracken
Director 
of Clerking


5.16
Marion 
Falconer 
PS to Carol 
McCracken


5.16
Yvonne 
Georgeson
PS to Lesley 
Beddie


5.17,18
Robert 
Arnott
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.17,18
Bronwyn 
Brady
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.17,18
Claire 
Hall
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.17,18
Ellen-Raissa 
Jackson
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.17,18
Simon Jessop
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.17,18
Polly Mackenzie
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.17,18
Mhairi 
Reid
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.17,18
Mark Taplin
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.17,18
Diarmid 
Mogg
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.19,20
Anne Lynas
Official 
Report/Sub-editor


5.19,20
William 
Humphreys-Jones
Official 
Report/Sub-editor


5.19,20
Mark Ewing
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.19,20
Janet Foster
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.19,20
Sue Innes
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.19,20
Alison 
Lang
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.19,20
Ian Lavery
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.19,20
Murdo MacLeod
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.19,20
Simon McCartin
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.19,20
Ian Methven
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.19,20
Fiona Shaw
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.19,20
Cameron 
Smith
Official 
Report/Reporter


5.21
Simon McLean
Official 
Report/Office Administrator


5.21
Gail Grant
Official 
Report/Office Administrator


5.21
Jacqueline 
Watson
Official 
Report/Office Administrator


5.22
Leigh Hargreaves
Parliamentary 
Broadcast Unit/Technical Operator


5.22
Stuart 
Flynn
Parliamentary 
Broadcast Unit/Technical Operator